Sectionalized zero setting means



Sept. 12, 1950 J. LYDFoRs ETAL SECTIONALIZED ZERO SETTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1947 s 1 u N n M e w W n I a R E V wrm A MN E N Arromeeva Sept. 12, 1950 J. LYDFORS ETAL SECTIONALIZED ZERO SETTING MEANS 5 Sheecs-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1947 FIE. 7

Ill/11111;"

. Inventors J'OHN LYDFORS.

A 'r-ranuevs zllllll SYEN AXEL EVERTLUNDIN p 1950 J. LYDFORS ETAL 2,521,799

SECTIONALIZED ZERO SETTING MEANS Filed July 7, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIE l3 INVENTORS JOHN LYDFORS SVEN AXEL EVERT LUNDIN BY Tomi/"WW 8v jmlmiw ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 12, 1950 SECTIONALIZED ZERO SETTING MEANS John, Lydfors and Sven Axel, Evert Lundin, Malmo, Sweden, assignors to Aktiebolaget Addo, Malmo, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application July 7, 19437, SeriaINo; 759,346 In Sweden July 12, 1946 In calculating machines of the Odhner type it is often desired to have the possibility of zero settin the revolutions counting or multiplier register without zero setting the result or product register at the same time, and consequently there is gen.- erally used a special zero setting device for each of these two counting registers. However, when it is desired to zero set both counting registers it is too complicated to actuate two different zero setting devicesfor which reason efforts have been made optionally to zero set either of or both counting registers by means of a single operating means. These eiiorts have however led to. constructions presenting various disadvantages such as being difficult to operate, requiring a great space and being expensive.

Av principal object of the present invention is to provide a zero setting device of the type in question, which does not present the disadvantages outlined above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a zero setting device for. optionally zero setting certain digit wheel groups in one and the same counting register or in several co-ordinated counting registers for any purpose. Such a digit wheel group may of course consist of. one or more. digit wheels.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention shown in the annexed drawings as an example only. As it is of special advantage to use. the invention for zero setting the revolutions and result counting registers in a calculating machine of the Odhner type, the application of the invention to such a machine has been chosen as an example. This example ismerely illustrative and. mustv notbe considered as limiting the invention in any respect whatever.

In the drawings:

I is a front view of a part of a counting register carriage of an Odhner calculating, machine, in which parts irrelevant to the invention ands, portion of the device according to the in-.

Fig. .4 on a greater scale shows a mechanism for zero setting the result counting register to the right in Fig. I, as seen from the right in relation to the last-mentioned figure, the parts being shown in the operative position, i. e. the position in which the result counting register is zero set.

Claims. (Cl. 235-5144) Fig. 5 shows the. same mechanism as Fig. 4 with, the parts in inoperativev position, in which no zero setting of the result counting register takes place.

Fig. 6, is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5, certain parts being broken away for the sake of clearness, and shows the position of. the parts just before the completion of a zero setting operation.

Fig. '2 shows a partof the zero settingmechanism for the result counting register, seen from above, the parts occupying the same position as in Fig. 4.

Fig.8 in a corresponding manner shows certain parts of the zero setting-device in, the position they occupy in Fig. 5.

, Figs. 9 to 12v are perspective views of different positions of certain parts of the zero setting gear segment 5.

mechanismfor the result counting register during a zero setting operation.

Figure 1.3 represents a structure substantially corresponding to that of Figure 1, with the exception that two adjustable cam mechanisms are used instead of one as shown in Figure 1.

The calculating machine in which the device according to the invention is supposed to be mounted has a counting register carriage with a frame I in which there is mounted a zero settin shaft 2, commonto a revolutions counting register A and a result counting register B. For rotation of the shaft 2 there is further mounted in the frame I a shaft 3' with a crank handle 4 and a This gear segment meshes with a gear I3 which is freely rotatable and displaceable on the shaft 2 and has the face of its hub helically formed, while the helical end of the hub is pressed by a spring 7 against a correspondingly shaped ring. armed to the shaft 2. The hub end of the gear t, the spring E and the ring 8 form a onecycle clutch. This clutch arrangement is such that whenthe gear segment 5 is rotated counterciockwise with regard to Figure 2 to cause shaft z to perform. a single rotation in clockwise direc tion, a spring 9 will be able to return gear segment 5 to its normal position shown in Fig. 2 without rotation of theshaft 2. On the hub portion of the gear segment 5 there are some projections l0 cooperating with a latch pawl l2 actuated by a. spring H, in such a way that the gear segment 5 cannot return to the. normal position until the gear 6 and thus theishaft 2 has been rotated a full revolution.

In the revolutions counting register A a number of digit wheels iii (only one is shown) are freely rotatahly mounted on the shaft 2, and for zero setting the digit wheels, there is arranged abar 15 known per se which is provided with projections it and is displaceable in the longitu- 3 dinal direction in a longitudinal groove provided in the shaft 2. At the left end of the shaft 2 (Figs. 1 and 3), the bar 15 is provided with a radially extending arm l6 which by a spring (not shown) is held applied against the face of a cam ring I! which is coaxial with the shaft 2. The active face of the annular cam I1 is situated in a plane at right angles to the axis of the ring except,

on one place where there is a recess |8 having a steep wall and an inclined wall. Normally the arm it of the bar l rests in this recess. When the handle 4 is operated for zero setting and the ing 21 of the counting register carriage. The lever 22, 24 is maintained in its Figure 5 position against the thrust of the spring 25 due to the fact that the lever has a rearwardly extending arm 28, at its rear end bent to a lug, which in the operative position of the cam 2| (Fig. 4) is situated under a latch or pawl 30 actuated by means of a spring 29. When the lever 22, 24, 28

shaft 2 is thus rotated one revolution in the clockwise direction in relation to Fig. 3 the arm l6 of the bar l5 slides up along the inclined side wall of the recess it while moving the bar |5 against the action of a spring not shown. During the rotation of the shaft 2, each projection l4 engages azero setting tooth (not shown) on the corresponding digit wheel I3, so that the digit wheels are returned to zero in the known manner. When the shaft 2 has completed one revolution, the spring (not shown) presses the arm I6 of the bar l5 down into the recess l8, so that the projections M are moved out of the way and the digit wheels.

l3 may freely rotate under the action of the machine impulses supplied to them during the calculating operation. v

Inasmuch as, in an Odhner machine, it is always desired to return the revolutions counting register to zero each time a zero setting is to take place, the cam I! is stationarily arranged in relation to the shaft 2, so that the revolutions countingregister is returned to zero each time the shaft 2 is rotated by means of the handle 4.

The result counting or product register B has also a number of digit wheels l9 (only one is shown) which may be zero set by means of a bar 20 carrying projections 23a. in the shaft 2 so as to be displaceable in longitudinal direction. The bar 20 is movable by means of an annular cam 2| (to be described later) in principally the same manner as the projection bar l5 in the revolutions counting register A. Since, however, in Odhner machines it is sometimes desired to have the possibility of zero setting the revolutions counting register A without zero setting the result counting register B, the annular cam 2| is displaceable from the operative position to an inoperative position in a manner to .be described in detail later.

, As is evident from Figs. 4 and 5, the annular cam 2|, is provided with a bottom 2| a by means of which it is fixed to an arm 22 of a lever rotatable about an axis 23. Besides the arm 22, this lever has an upwardly extending arm 24 to which one end of a tension spring 25 is fixed, the other end of which is fixed to the frame I. The spring 25 urges the lever '22, 24 into and tends to hold the same in the position shown in Figure 4, in which the annular cam 2| is eccentrically situated in front of the right end of the shaft 2 (Fig. 1). In this position the cam 2|, as will be described later, is active and zero sets the digit wheels H! in the result counting register upon rotation of the shaft 2.

However, when it is desired that the digit wheels is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the pawl 30 is moved out of the way by the lug of the arm 28 against the thrust of the spring 29. The pawl snaps in under the lug and locks the lever 22, 24, 28 in adjusted position. In order that the cam 2| may be returned to its operative position after a single rotation of the shaft 2, the latch or pawl 30 i provided with a cam surface 30a. cooperating with a radially extending arm 3|. This arm is arranged at the right end (Fig. 1) of the projection bar 20 and occupies the normal position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 under the cam surface 3%..

At the end of a single rotation of the shaft 2 in the clockwise direction, the arm 3| meets the cam surface 30a. and swings the latch or pawl 30 away from the lug of the lever arm 28, so that the lever 22, '24, 28 can return to the position shown in Fig. 4 under the action of the spring 25. This releasing operation is shown in Fig. 6 where the V projection bar arm 3| is just about to leave the position shown in Fig. 4, so that all parts again occupy their normal positions.

The zero setting of the result counting register B will then take place upon the next rotation of the shaft 2 unless,

the handle 26 is again actuated to make the cam 2 inoperative.

This bar is inserted .The projection bar 20 has also an arm 32 extending in the opposite direction of the arm 3|. The arm 32 is, however, not so long and high that it can meet the cam surface 30a. on the latch pawl 30. r

The arms 3| and 32 of the projection bar 2|] extend radially in opposite directions and have their sides remote from the shaft 2 situated in the same plane. In the normal position of the parts, said sides are pressed against a central elevation of the bottom 2|a of the cam 2| by the pressure spring 1 inserted between the arms and the toothed wheel 6, as will best be seen from Figs. 7 and 8. At the free end of the arm 32, there is U a recess 33 in the edge facing the cam 2|, and at "the same distance from the shaft2 the longer,

I9 of the result counting register B shall not be The handle 23 is fixed to the lever arm arm 3| has a recess 34 in its edge facing the cam.

When the cam 2| occupies the inoperative posi-,

tion shown in Figs. 5, 8 and 9, in which position it is coaxial with the shaft 2, the recesses 33 and 34 of the arms 3| and 32 embrace the cam 2| without being actuated by it during the rotation of the shaft 2, so that the spring 1 can hold the arms 3| and 32 and thus the projection bar 20 axially unmovably in engagement with the bottom 2|a, of the cam whereby no zero setting of the digit wheels IQ of the result counting register 13 takes place. However, when the cam 2| occupies theoperative position shown in Figs. 4, '7 and 10 to 12, in which position the cam is eccentric in relation to the shaft 2 the projection bar 20 is displaced in the manner described below during a single rotation of the shaft 2 by means of the handle 4.

The frontal face of the annular cam 2|, facing the shaft 2 is situated in a plane at right angles t the shaft except on two diametrically opposite a-sanrzea 2' places where theicam. oppositezthe arm. 3| occupying thenormalposition hasiarecess 3.5 witha. steep, sidewall and ..an inclined sidewall and top. posite the arm. v32. occnpying. .the. normal sposition has; airelatively; broad. recess 36 with steep side. walls. Owing; to the eccentric positionbf the. cam .24 in relation to the shaft. 2, the active. edge of. thearm 3i facingethecam engages the recess 5 35 withlits.portion outsideofthe recess-34, and

thetactive edgeof the arm tz, facingthe-cam. When the shat t engages .the recess 36in camrzl tionallmzeroisettable, in ithemannerdescribed for;

the result counting register. Such a modification 2 begins to. perform one revolution for. a=zero.set.-- I

ting operation, theactive edge. of the arm it]: therefore slides. up along, the inclined side wall .01: the recess 35-.(Eig. .10), so thatthe projection (bar: 2011s, displaced in: axial direction under compressiorLof-j the spring 1; During: the; continuediroetation,.,the;active. edges of thearms 3.!- and 32.: slideuonithe main portion .of a the activeend ;sur.- faceotthecam 2i which portion is situated .in at planehat right angles to. thev shaft-L Owing, to; theneccentric arrangement -.ofthe? shaft 2' -and.;the camZI, the recess 340i the arm .3! 'willpa'ssduring the rotation directly over the cam 21 ace-r tain position" of, rotation of the shaft '2. In this position thezprojection bar. 2t is-'preventedifromw being displaced against the bottom Zia. oiLth-ecam underi the action of: the spring 1' due to thefactx thatthe active; edge of: the marm .32, is. applied" to the .main :portion .of.- the :active end surface, ofithe: camil; as .will the-seen from Bi 11. arm fiil v passes the; recess-=35= of: the cam-,1 it must be prevented from sinking. down .into this :recess, since in thisposition; the arm 321s. situated oppositethe recess:35 and. :is within the camringybee causeof the-eccentricarrangement of theeshaftlr and .the caml-I (seeEig, 12). the handle. 25. iss provided with a; portiont26w (see Figs-Aand .12) one side of which is arranged. in thexsamesplaneras the main portioni-of' the-1 active endsu-rface of the; cam ziiandis situated adjacent the. recesstiifi, so that the active. edge of v the-arm; 3| outside therecess ti t-slides on-the-porrtion: 26a. while the arm .31 passes the Y recess 36 in:

the cam 21; At the endofthe single rotationzofi the shaftZI, theiarmitl drops down into the'cami recess--35,-along itssteep sideunder the: action of the spring I, whereafter. the parts again. occupy theirnormalposition, and=the;dig-it whee1s:.l9 in; the result counting, register B: are;- I'BSQbztOuZEIO.

The. invention may; of course be realizedin. many. different ways and. the embodiment de-s scribed; above in connection: with the annexedz drawings must therefore-be considered asranex ample only which .hasabeenchoserrpfor the elucidation: of; theinventiom It'may' especially be pointed out that the shaft 2 common to the two counting registers-A andz'B-rmayb'e. replaced by two. separate shafts, ,one foreach counting register; In such an instance, it is possibleto arrange;

the zero setting projections stationarily with regard to the shaitswhile -displacin'gtheshafts in axial direction. In using separate shafts for-the:

For; this purpose:

is shownin FigurelS, which substantially corre-. spends to the :structure. of'Eigure 1 with-the eX-.

ception. that the cam.;mechanism. i5,- ll' at-the' IBftrhfiIldSi-(IB oi-Eigurel has been replaced. by a camimechanism 21, 3|, .32 which is identical to the. cam mechanism 2.], 31; Stat the right-hand. sideot Figure l-in construction asswell asin operation. It,is-, .of.course, alsopossible. to zero. setv morethan the twocountingregisters shown bymeanse oi: a single. drive means; It is-further.

possible. to dividea counting register into sections which maybe. zero setoptionally and ,independe entlit of I each other. by, means. of .a-device accord-- In addition to calculat-- ingmachines and thelikemachinessuch as bookskeeping; machines, the invention may also. be

ing, to v the: inventionv used in other; apparatus. with one or more counti g registers e. g... various registering apparatus and meters.

whatiweiclaim anddesired to secure by Letters Patentsis:

1. In combination in a counting register, a plurality, of digit wheel-groups, a plurality of sets of zero setting means respectivelyassociated with said. dig-itwheel groups, means. normally holding each. of saidisetstin: an inoperativerposition, a

handle movable selectivelyin'a predetermined-di- 4 rection for simultaneously revolving each of said sets iofszero vsettingrmeans around the digit wheel axis of; the-associateddigit: wheel group, apin rality of arms.-. respectively I connected to. :each. ofsaidsets ofzero settingmeanstand -extending;i'adiallyw. with regard :tO'ithfii digit wheel axis of; the-- associated: digitwheel group, a plurality of annular camssrespectivelyi associated with each :of said arms-forydisplacing each-of said sets-.ofizero setting:means;from the inoperative position to an' operative position in which the zero: setting means will:engagextheassociated digit wheels and rotate themitozero'position-in response to the movementof saidihandiein :1 said 1 predetermined direction,

andtmeans: for: optionally moving-at .least'one of I said :annular camsnbetween an operative position;

indwhic h'said ican'r isreccentrically. positioned with regard: to the. digit wl'ieei axis-off the associated digitiwheeligroup; and *an inoperative position in whicl'i';said'scamiss-concentrically positioned with regard/to the digitiwheel'axisof-the associated digit.wheel!group,- said radially extending arm associatediwith saidcam movable between said operativerand' inoperative positions'being provided with: recesses 1 arranged so that said lash-men tioned; movable camproject's into the recesses when iin inoperative position.

21- In combi-nationin acounting'register, a 'plurality ofidigit wheel-groups, aplurality of' sets of zero setting means 1 respectivelyassociated' with said idig-it wheelg-roups,-- means normally holding each: of said-'- sets in an inoperative position, a

handle movable selectively in apredetermined" direction for simultaneously revolvingeach of said'lsetsof zero setting means around the digit "wheel axisof'the associated digit wheel group,

a plurality of armsrespectively'connected to each ofsaid sets of zero setting means and extending rad-ially with regard' to the digit wheelaxis of the associatedi digit wheel group, a plurality of annular cams respectively associated with each of said iarmsrfor displa-cing :each of said sets of zero settingimeans from the inoperative position to'an operativezpositi'on'in which'th'e zero setting means with engage== the associated 1 digit wheels I and" ro=- tate them to zero position in response to the movement of said handle in said predetermined direction, means for optionally moving at least one of said annular cams between an operative position, in which said cam is eccentrically positioned with regard to the digit wheel axis of the associated digit Wheel group, and an inoperative position in which said cam is concentrically positioned with regard to the digit wheel axis of the associated digit wheel group, said radially extending arm associated with said cam movable between said operative and inoperative positions being provided with recesses arranged so that said last-mentioned movable cam projects into the recesses when in inoperative position, spring means tending to hold said movable cam in operative position, and latch means for holding said movable cam in inoperative position against the thrust of said spring means, said latch means being operable at the end of a zero setting operation by said radially extending arm cooperating with said movable cam held by said latch means for releasing said movable cam to permit said spring means to move said movable cam into the operative position.

3. A counting register comprising in combination, a plurality of digit wheel groups, a plurality of sets of zero setting meansrespectively associated with said digit wheel groups, means normally holding each of said sets in an inoperative position, a handle movable selectively in a predetermined direction for simultaneously revolving each of said sets of zero setting means around the digit wheel axis of the associated digit wheel group, a plurality of arms respectively connected to each of said sets of zero setting means and extending radially with regard to the digit wheel axis of the associated digit Wheel group, a plurality of annular cams respectively associated with each of said arms for displacing each of said sets of zero setting means from the inoperative position to an operative position in which the zero setting means will engage the associated digit wheels and rotate them to zero position in response to the movement of said handle in said predetermined direction, means for optionally moving at least one of said annular cams between an operative position, in which said cam is eccentrically positioned with regard to the digit wheel axis of the associated digit wheel group, and an inoperative position in which said cam is concentrically positioned with regard to the digit wheel axis of the associated digit wheel group, said radially extending arm associated with said cam movable between said operative and inoperative positions being provided with recesses arranged so that said last-mentioned movable cam projects into the recesses when in inoperative position, and means arranged for actuation by said radially extending arm and operable automatically at the end of each zero setting operation to bring about movement of said optionally movable cam into its operative position if said last mentioned cam is in its inoperative position.

4. A counting register comprising in combination, a plurality of digit wheel groups, a plurality of sets of zero setting means respectively associated with said digit wheel groups and operable selectively to zero set said digit wheel groups, means associated with said zero setting means and normally holding each of said sets of zero setting means in an ineffective position, a handle movable selectively in a predetermined direction for simultaneously revolving each of said sets of zero setting means around the digit wheel axis 8 of the associated digit wheel group, arm means respectively connected to said sets of zero seting means, a plurality of cam means respectively associated with each of said arm means, said cam means being movable into an operative position for actuation of said arm means to thereby make said zero setting means effective in response to the movement of said handle in said predetermined direction, spring means operatively con-v nected with and tending to urge said movable cam means into and to hold the same in its operative position, manually operable means associated,

with and operable to move at least one of said cam means into an inoperative position, locking means operable prior to thepmovement of said handle in said predetermined direction to lock said movable cam means in its inoperative position against the thrust of said spring means, and means arranged for cooperation with said locking means and operable in response to movement of said handle at the end of a zero setting operation to make said locking means ineffective, thereby allowing said spring means to move said movable cam means into its operative position.

5. In a calculating machine comprising a plurality of digit wheel groups, a plurality of sets of normally ineffective zero setting means respectively associated therewith for zero setting the same, and rotatable actuating means for operating said zero setting means, the combination of arm means respectively connected to said sets of zero setting means, cam means associated with said arm means and normally occupying an effective position so s to cause said arm means to slide along the cam surface of said cam means in response' to a first predetermined rotative movement of said actuating means, thereby rendering effective the zero setting means pertaining thereto, manually operable means associated with one of said cam means and operable'independently of said actuating means for moving said cam means into ineffective position, thereby preventing actuation of said arm means by said cam means duringsaid first predetermined rotative movement of said actuating means, locking means associated with said one cam means and operable to lock the samein its ineffective position when so adjusted by predetermined movement of said manually operable means, and means operatively connected with said actuating means and responsive to a second predetermined rotative movement thereof for making said locking means inefiective to thereby allow return of said cam means into its operative position.

JOHN LYDFORS. SVEN AXEL EVERT LUNDIN.

REFERENCES CITED Ihe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 928,083 Trinks July 13, 1909 1,022,280 Trinks Apr. 2, 1912 1,330,653 Phinney Feb. 10, 1920 1,396,612 White Nov. 8, 1921 1,654,441 Wernecke -1 Dec. 27, 1927 1,895,189 Hoffmeister Jan. 24, 1933 2,294,083 Friden Aug. 25, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 108,809 Sweden Aug. 19, 1943 

